for the first time the authors document the existence of different embryonic stages of Varroa jacobsoni OUDEMANS 1904 the honey bees mite. The outstanding peculiarity of Varroa s development is demonstrated by the fact, that primarily a sixlegged, and later an eightlegged immobile embryo is formed, from which finally a mobile protonymph originates. A mobile and free living sixlegged larva does not occur, and this contrasts to the development in related mite species.